Battle of the Bands - be in it to win £500 recording prize

Is your band the best in the region? Would you like a £500 recording and mixing session?

If the answer is yes to both, then we want to hear from you.

Your band has just a few days left to enter our first online Battle of the Bands competition.

The contest is open to groups based in Derbyshire or Nottinghamshire - but you need to stake your claim before the deadline of May 15.

Here are the groups who you will have to beat to claim the prize:

The Rosadocs, a rock ‘n’ roll band which draws its members from Chesterfield and Clay Cross.

TRASH, also from Chesterfield, describe themselves as from the awesome riffs genre and slacker-glitter-indie-pop rejects.

Warning Tones specialise in acoustic pop rock and are based in Chesterfield.

The Twisted, an alt rock band based in Bakewell.

Left Hand Drive, a folk-rock-blues outfit from Matlock.

Stand Amongst Giants, a blues-rock band hailing from Chesterfield.

Those Who Knew, a rock band composed of musicians from Ilkeston and Alfreton;

Vanity Box from Hucknall who play indie rock;

Burn Down The District, a hardcore metal band from Chesterfield;

The Fine Art Society who play indie rock and are from Derby.

And W.O.R.M. who play punk and are from Chesterfield.

The winner of our competition will receive a day’s recording and a day’s mixing in The Foundry studio in Chesterfield.

The studio prides itself on capturing the live feel of bands with modern recording techniques and vintage analogue equipment.

Its boss Paul Hopkinson has 25 years’ experience in running recording studios. His credits include Ordinary Boys, award-winning folk musicians Ashley Hutchings and John Tams as well as recording bands from all over England.

Paul played guitar in Lisa Hall which was signed to Warner Bros and recorded an album in Los Angeles.

As a member of The Actors, Paul recorded with the legendary producer Tony Visconti at Good Earth Studios in London.

Winning our Battle of the Bands competition could set you on track for big things - so what are you waiting for?

Send us a YouTube link of your band performing with a brief description of where your band is from and what style of music you play to: gay.bolton@jpress.co.uk Has your group entered our first online Battle of the Bands competition?